Ecuador: Humour and Election Time

[All links lead to Spanish language pages unless otherwise noted]

Election time is experienced in a very particular way in Ecuador. Other than mobilised caravans and ongoing debates between candidates aspiring to presidency, humour and satire are ever present in the political campaigns. Media sites, such as La República, Diario Hoy and Expreso [all national newspapers], reported that the National Electoral Council (CNE) decided to censure the video ¨La Feriatta¨, after the national director of the movement CREO denounced it, calling it a dirty campaign against the the presidential candidate Guillermo Lasso. The CNE also vetoed the video ¨The Little King and His Court¨, considered an attack on the president and candidate for reelection, Rafael Correa.

La Feriatta can be found on YouTube channel Politically Incorrect:

The Little King and His Court is available on the YouTube channel of presidential candidate, Alberto Acosta:

On the other hand, the adapted picture of Maria Paula Romo (@mariapaularomo) -candidate of the Ruptura25 movement (@RupturaEC)- went viral on social media networks after moustaches were painted on her. Supporters of the movement, with the tag #lookruptura25 and #atrevetearomper [dare to break], decided to demonstrate their support publishing similar photos wearing moustaches.

Sofía Merino (@sophymerino) published her support of the movement Ruptura25 through her Twitter account:

@sophymerino: @rupturaEC #lookruptura25, #atrevetearomper twitpic.com/bz3fh4

Photo of Sofía Merino R @Sophymerino

Bernarda Ordóñez (@BernardaOM), like other users, shared her photo sporting a moustache: 

@BernardaOM: #lookruptura25 @maiapaularomo @felipeabrilm @RupturaEC pic.twitter.com/l13aKOHm

Photo of Bernarda Ordóñez M @BernardaOM

The user Andrés Zambrano (@_Andreswz) also joined #lookruptura25:

@_Andreswz: @VanArellano I already have a moustache #LookRuptura25 pic.twitter.com/ReH2mixf

Photo of Andrés Zambrano @_Andreswz

On the Facebook page Ruptura de los 25 [Rupture of the 25], the gallery #LookRuptura25 with images of citizens with moustaches was published in support of the movement. 

On January 30, 2013, El Universo published a letter to the director in its caricature section. The letter was sent by two candidates, Rafael Correa and Jorge Glas, requesting that the paper published an apology for their damaged image as a result of Xavier Bonilla's caricature. It also mentioned the cases of plagiarism which involved Pedro Delgado the ex-President from Ecuador's Central Bank; his running mate Jorge Glas; Fernando Alvarado, Communication Secretary and his brother, Vinicio Alvarado, National Secretary of Public Administration. The press opted to publish the complete letter, which generated various reactions.

Xavier Bonilla (@bonilcaricatura) published the caricature that bothered the candidates on his Twitter account:

@bonilcaricatura: The drawing which bothered His Majesty pic.twitter.com/LvYD0FW7

Caricature taken by the Twitter user Xavier Bonilla (@bonilcaricatura)

Caricature taken by the Twitter user Xavier Bonilla (@bonilcaricatura)

Humour, satire and a few fines are all part of the environment experienced in Ecuador just a few weeks away from the public choosing their new president, vice-president and other assembly members, after analyzing each of their proposals.

Start the conversation

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.